This invention relates to an apparatus and methods for holding a segment of hollow tubing, e.g., intravenous tubing. More particularly, the present invention relates to such apparatus and methods which have applicability in the medical and human health care industries. This invention may also be used by veterinarians.
The medical and health care industry is becoming more and more sophisticated. It is often necessary, in order to properly treat patients, to transport fluids, e.g., nutrients, blood, oxygen and the like, via hollow tubes to and from a patient. Intravenous feeding and medication is becoming common place. Kidney dialysis involves repeated transporting of blood from and back to a patient.
Often there are two or more separate lines or segments of hollow tubing being used to treat a single patient. Unless care is taken, these tubes can become tangled and, ultimately, restricted or closed to the passage of fluid.
Recent advances in needle technology have resulted in the use of flexible needles Such flexible needles are effective without requiring that the member, e.g., the patient's arm or leg, in which the needle is stuck be completely immobilized With prior rigid needles, such immobilization was necessary to prevent needle breakage and/or inadvertent removal from the member. Thus, flexible needles allow more patient movement and, therefore, comfort during treatment.
Many prior tubing clamps were structured to hold the tubing so tightly as to, in effect, immobilize the patient. That is, the prior tubing clamps often held the tubing so as to prevent substantially any movement of the tubing or the patient. Also, these prior tubing clamps, in holding the tubing tightly, often "squeezed down" on the tubing and caused an unwanted and unneeded constraint on the flow of fluid through the tubing.
A new apparatus and method useful for holding a segment of hollow tubing has been discovered. The present apparatus effectively holds the segment of hollow tubing so as to orient its longitudinal axis, as desired, e.g., to avoid tangling with other segments of hollow tubing. Importantly, however, the present apparatus does not constrict the hollow tubing and, therefore, does not increase the resistance to flow through the hollow tubing. In addition, the present system can provide for holding a segment of hollow tubing without immobilizing the tubing. This allows a medical patient to whom the segment of hollow tubing is attached, e.g., through a needle, to have substantial freedom of movement, thus making the patient's treatment more comfortable and easy to withstand. Further, the present apparatus is portable and adaptable to various applications, and is easy and relatively inexpensive to manufacture.
In one embodiment, the present apparatus comprises a clamp housing means and clip means secured to the clamp housing means, preferably removably secured to the clamp housing means. This clip means is sized and adapted to be opened to accept a segment of hollow tubing and to be closed around the segment of hollow tubing without changing the cross-sectional shape of the segment of hollow tubing. Preferably, this clip means is sized and adapted to be closed around the segment of hollow tubing substantially without frictionally contacting the segment of hollow tubing. In other words, the clip means preferably provides substantially no resistance to the axial movement of the segment of hollow tubing. The present clip means is preferably structured to be repeatedly opened and closed.
In a particularly useful embodiment, the present apparatus further comprises second clip means secured, preferably removably secured, to the clamp housing means and spaced apart from the clip means, described above. This second clip means is sized and adapted to be opened to accept a segment of hollow tubing and to be closed around the segment of hollow tubing without changing the cross-sectional shape of the segment of the hollow tubing. A sleeve is also provided and surrounds the segment of hollow tubing, and is preferably secured thereto. This sleeve is located between the two clip means when both of the clip means are closed around the same segment of hollow tubing. The sleeve is sized so as not to move from between the two closed clip means. In this manner, the segment of hollow tubing can be held in place by the two clip means without changing the cross-sectional shape of the hollow tubing, and preferably without frictionally contacting the hollow tubing.
The present apparatus preferably further comprises clamp holding means associated with the clamp housing means and adapted to secure, more preferably removably secure, the clamp housing means to a stationary object, in particular an object other than the medical patient being treated. In one embodiment, the clamp holding means includes a hook or loop segment secured to the clamp housing means and a securing means having a corresponding loop or hook segment capable of being secured to a stationary object, so that when the securing means is secured to the stationary object and the hook or loop segment and the corresponding loop or hook segment are fastened together, the clamp housing means is secured to the stationary object. The clamp apparatus may include an elongated strap means having a first surface of hooks and an opposing second surface of loops. The elongated strap means is capable of acting as the securing means or of being wrapped around a member, for example, an extremity of a human being, and at least one segment of tubing so that the first and second surfaces fasten together, thereby maintaining the tubing in contact with the member.
In another aspect of the present invention, a method for holding a segment of hollow tubing is provided. In one embodiment, this method comprises providing a clamp comprising a clamp housing means and clip means secured to the clamp housing means. This clip means is as described above. A segment of hollow tubing is placed in the clip means when the clip means is open. The opened clip means is closed around the segment of hollow tubing in the clip means and maintained around the segment of hollow tubing without changing the cross-sectional shape of the segment of hollow tubing.
In another embodiment, the present method for holding a segment of hollow tubing comprises providing a clamp comprising clamp housing means and spaced apart first and second clip means secured to the clamp housing means. Each of the first and second clamp means is sized and adapted in a manner similar to the clip means and second clip means, respectively, described above. A segment of hollow tubing is placed in each of the first and second clip means when the first and second clip means, respectively, is opened. A portion of the segment of hollow tubing is surrounded by, and preferably secured to, a sleeve having a larger cross-section than the segment of hollow tubing. This sleeve is located between the first and second clip means. The first and second clip means are closed around the segment of hollow tubing in the first and second clip means and maintained around the segment of hollow tubing and between the sleeve without changing the cross-sectional shape of the segment of hollow tubing.
Substantial advantages are obtained from the present invention. Among those advantages include preventing the tubing from becoming tangled and/or from becoming obstructed to fluid flow.
These and other aspects and advantages of the present invention are set forth in the following detailed description and claims, particularly when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which like parts bear like reference numerals.